I bought an iPad a few days ago. Yes, it’s sleek and hot and hyped, but mostly it’s easy.
Apple has always been good about providing an intuitive user interface and this time they’ve gone a step farther. The learning curve here is so gentle that the idea of a user interface almost disappears. It’s like discussing the user interface of a pot handle; generally, you see it and immediately do what’s necessary to get the effect you need.
As I collect information on how to write applications for the iPad, I see suggestions about making the user’s view of those apps match the iPad style. It’s an important point. This isn’t a Mac and it isn’t an iPhone either. It’s a unique device that deserves its own special interface style for a program that runs on it — a very easy one.